Surgical treatment of inguinal herniae traditionally involved the removal or excision of the peritoneal sac and the strengthening of the weakened inguinal canal by performing a herniotomy, hernioplasty, or herniorrhaphy; in the case of inguinal herniae, the surgical technique entailed the excision of the femoral sac and either closing the margins of the internal ring or excluding it from continuity with the abdominal cavity. In some of these cases simple suture could not successfully close the hernia defect and a relaxing incision was required in the rectus sheath to bring the tissues together and allow the defect to be closed without tension. Where however, the patient's groin had been destroyed by repeated herniation and surgery, a mesh prosthesis made of polypropylene was used as a substitute for the relaxing incision.
Insertion of a polypropylene mesh prosthesis for the repair of inquinal herniae required a transverse incision through the abdominal wall in order to introduce the mesh into the preperitoneal space and subsequently to suture the anterior femoral sheath, and the iliac fascia and encompassed the floor of the inguinal canal extending from the pubic tubercle laterally to the femoral vein along the superior pubic ramus, superiorly to the transversus arch, and laterally to beyond the internal inguinal ring. The sutures to Cooper's ligament, the anterior femoral sheath and the iliac fascia required the knots to be tied posterially of the abdominal wall. Sutures were also required to be passed through the rectus muscle and the rectus sheath and tied anteriorly. Cephaled sutures were also necessary which incorporated a folded edge of the polyprophylene mesh and also closed the transverse incision which was used for access to the preperitoneal space.